Pyongyang blames Kuala Lumpur for death Kim Jong-nam

The first statement issued on the issue by the North cites the death of "its nationals" in Kuala Lumpur, without the leader's half-brother Kim Jong-un named. Malaysia’s actions termed "illegal and immoral" and in "total disregard for international law."

Seoul (AsiaNews) - North Korea is blaming Malaysia for the death of "one of its nationals", and considers the autopsy on his body "illegal and immoral", condemning its "unfriendly behavior", encouraged by South Korea.

Although Kim Jong-nam is the brother of the leader Kim Jong-un, until now the Northern media had made no mention of the event.

Today KCNA mentioned it, but in general terms, talking about "a citizen of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" traveling with diplomatic passports who died from a "heart attack."

The agency says that the news of the poisoning is false and that Malaysia’s actions are part of a "network of conspiracy against the DPRK launched by South Korean authorities".

"The greatest responsibility for his death - said the agency - weighs on the Government of Malaysia, as a North Korean citizen died on its soil".

The KCNA criticizes Kuala Lumpur for carrying out an "illegal and immoral" autopsy on the body and refusing to hand over the body "under the absurd pretext" that there should be DNA evidence from the dead man's family.

The refusal to hand over the body, according to Pyongyang, "proves that the Malaysian side is politicizing the transfer of remains in total disregard for international law and morality to achieve its sinister purpose".

Meanwhile, the Malaysian police have asked Interpol for help to block the four North Koreans sought.

Police believe that in all there are at least 11 people connected to the death of Kim Jong-nam. Four of them were arrested: Doan Thi Huong, 28, Vietnamese, who sprayed the poison in Kim’s face; Site Aisyah, 25, an Indonesian, who "thought" she was being filmed as part of a television series; Jalaluddin Muhammad Farid, her Malaysian boyfriend; Ri Jong Chol, 47, North Korean.

The others sought are: Kwang Hyon Song, 44, second secretary of the embassy of North Korea in Kuala Lumpur; Uk Kim, 37, an employee at Air Koryo, the national airline of North Korea; Ri Ju U, 30, also known as "James", who fled; Ri Ji Hyon, 33, who fled; Hong Song Hac, 34, who fled; O Jong Gil, 55, who fled; Ri Jae Nam, 57, who fled.

Police say that the first two are still in Malaysia; the others have returned to North Korea.

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